Knock-down sheltering and astrological observation lounge

Abstract

An adjustable lounge is adapted to be knocked-down in kit-form for shipping and/or storage purposes and expeditiously assembled on-site. The knocked-down-lounge comprises a base frame having a sub-frame and a pair of base side panels adapted for attachment to lateral sides of the sub-frame. A canopy frame comprises a pair of canopy side panels and a plurality of cross-struts adapted for attachment between the canopy side panels. The canopy frame is adapted to be pivotally mounted on the base frame to permit the canopy frame to be moved by user-controlled actuating means through an infinite number of positions between a normal upright position and a lowered position, placing the back of the canopy frame in at least general horizontal alignment with the top of the base frame. The lounge is adapted for selective rotation in a circular path about a vertically disposed axis whereby the frontal side of the canopy can be moved to a selected rotative position for sunning and/or viewing purposes. Additionally, the lounge may be used at nighttime as an astrological observatory.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A knocked-down sheltering lounge in kit-form adapted to be assembled on-site for sunbathing comprising: a base frame comprising a sub-frame having lateral sides and a horizontally disposed top adapted to retain a seating cushion thereon, said top comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced and laterally extending cross-struts adapted to be connected and disconnected between the lateral sides of said sub-frame for mounting said seating cushion thereon, and a pair of base side panels adapted to extend vertically above the lateral sides of sub-frame to form arm rests and to confine said seating cushion in said sub-frame,   a pair of substantially flat canopy side panel frames and a plurality of individual cross-struts adapted to be spaced one-from-another and have opposite ends thereof attached to said canopy side panel frames to form a canopy frame, open at a frontal side thereof and adapted to be pivotally and removably mounted onto said base frame for permitting said canopy frame to be moved through an infinite number of locking positions between a normal upright position to form a seating arrangement and a fully lowered position placing the back of said canopy frame in at least general horizontal alignment with the top of said base frame to form a bed, one of said cross-struts having pivot means thereon for pivoting said canopy frame on said base frame, and   actuating means, adapted to be interconnected between said canopy frame and said base frame, for selectively moving said canopy frame to a selected position between its upright and fully lowered positions,   each of said base side panels, said canopy side panel frames, said sub-frame, and said cross-struts being adapted to be connected to and completely disconnected from each other and being at least substantially flat and sized to be compactly packaged into at least one container to provide a knocked-down sheltering lounge in kit form having a volume that is not more than approximately one-fifth of the erected form of said sheltering lounge for shipping purposes.   
     
     
       2. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 wherein said at least one container includes at least two containers, each of said containers having a length and a girth dimension which, when added together, total less than 130 inches. 
     
     
       3. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 wherein said at least one container includes at least two containers, each of said containers having a length, a width and a height dimension, wherein each of said length, width and height dimensions is not greater than 48 inches. 
     
     
       4. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 wherein said pivot means includes means for pivotally mounting said canopy frame rearwardly on said base including a pair of laterally spaced bracket and pivot assemblies. 
     
     
       5. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 further comprising operator-controlled combined moving, holding and locking control system means, including said actuating means, mounted in said base frame and adapted to be connected to and disconnected from said canopy frame for selectively moving said canopy frame between its upright and fully lowered positions on said base frame. 
     
     
       6. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 further comprising a pair of inclined and laterally spaced rails secured in said base frame and a footrest frame having rollers thereon adapted to slide on said rails for storage within said base frame. 
     
     
       7. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 further comprising an upholstery main body adapted to cover a top, back and a first one of said canopy side panel frames, a separate upholstery side panel adapted to cover a second one of said canopy side panel frames,   and fastening means for releasably attaching said separate upholstery side panel to side edges of the top and back panels of said upholstery main body.   
     
     
       8. The sheltering lounge of claim 7 further comprising a liner adapted for securance to the top and back of said canopy frame. 
     
     
       9. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of spaced casters mounted beneath said sub-frame for permitting said sheltering lounge to be moved to various positions. 
     
     
       10. The sheltering lounge of claim 9 further comprising center pivot means mounted beneath said sub-frame and positioned at least approximately centrally thereof for selectively permitting said lounge to be rotated in a circular path about a vertically disposed axis whereby the frontal side of said canopy frame can be moved to a selected relative position for sunning and viewing purposes. 
     
     
       11. The sheltering lounge of claim 10 wherein said center pivot means comprises a center pivot caster of said casters. 
     
     
       12. The sheltering lounge of claim 11 wherein said center pivot caster comprises a mounting plate secured to an underside of said sub-frame, a swivel bracket pivotally mounted on said plate for relative pivotal movement about said axis and a roller rotatably mounted on said bracket. 
     
     
       13. The sheltering lounge of claim 12 further comprising brake lever means pivotally mounted on said bracket to selectively prevent rotation of said roller. 
     
     
       14. The sheltering lounge of claim 13 wherein said casters further comprise a pair of laterally spaced front casters and a Fair of laterally spaced rear casters and wherein each of said front and rear casters comprise a said mounting plate, swivel bracket, roller, and brake lever means. 
     
     
       15. The sheltering lounge of claim 10 further comprising operator-control means for selectively rotating said lounge about said axis. 
     
     
       16. The sheltering lounge of claim 15 wherein said operator-control means comprises a drive motor, having rotatable drive wheel means movably mounted on said sub-frame and means for selectively moving said drive wheel means from a raised position to a lowered position. 
     
     
       17. The sheltering lounge of claim 10 further comprising track means concentrically disposed relative to said axis for engaging and guiding at least some of said casters in a circular path in response to rotation of said lounge. 
     
     
       18. The sheltering lounge of claim 1 further comprising astrological observation means for enabling the lounge to be particularly positioned so that a user reclining within the canopy is able to view a desired portion of sky and constellations therein, said observation means including means for determining a directional position of the lounge, and means for determining an angular position of the canopy relative to a horizontal axis. 
     
     
       19. The sheltering lounge of claim 18 further comprising means in communication with said astrological observation means for providing the user with a description of the constellations within the portion of sky which is within the view of the user. 
     
     
       20. A chaise lounge usable for sun bathing and the like comprising: a base frame having laterally spaced and vertically disposed sides and a horizontally disposed top adapted to retain a seating cushion thereon,   a normally upright canopy frame having laterally spaced and vertically disposed sides, a top and a normally upright back all secured together to form a hood open on its frontal side thereof,   pivot means for pivotally mounting a lower end of each side of said canopy frame on said base frame for permitting said canopy frame to be moved through an infinite number of positions between a normal upright position to form a seating arrangement and a fully lowered position placing the back of said canopy frame in at least general horizontal alignment with the top of said base frame to form a bed,   combined lock and return means pivotally interconnected between said canopy frame and said base frame for selectively and releasably holding and locking said canopy frame in a selected lowered position between its upright and fully lowered positions and for automatically returning said canopy from its selected position to its upright position in response to releasing said locking of said canopy frame,   astrological observation means for enabling the lounge to be particularly positioned so that a user reclining within the canopy is able to view a desired portion of sky and constellations therein, said observation means including means for determining a directional position of the lounge, and means for determining an angular position of the canopy relative to a horizontal axis; and   means in communication with said astrological observation means for providing the user with a description of the constellations within the portion of sky which is within the view of the user.